$910 on tequila, interviews with football players: Documents detail events before and after crash that killed UNC student
North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement found violations occurred at two Chapel Hill bars in relation to a January 21 crash in Chapel Hill that killed University of North Carolina sophomore Molly Rotunda. WRAL Investigates received the reports, submitted by ALE to the ABC Commission, through a public records request.
The reports, dated March 2024, indicate Might As Well and Still Life bars on Franklin Street both served alcohol to minors prior to the crash.
Now, the ABC Commission will determine any consequences, which could include suspension, a written warning or fines for those bars. The two bars did not respond to WRAL's requests for comment. The ALE report notes the agency informed Might as Well and Still Life's permit holders that it was submitting violation reports to the ABC Commission. It says Still Life's permittee "immediately became hostile and began yelling," claiming "ALE has a pattern of making up violations against his business."
WRAL has reported extensively on the wreck, the investigation into it and the events of the night led to charges against 10 people, including two NCCU students and three UNC football players. Most charges are misdemeanors related to underage consumption of alcohol.
The reports, totaling roughly 100 pages, reveal that the group of friends was drinking at Still Life bar to celebrate the 20th birthday of UNC football player Zachary Rice.
According to the report, the group spent $910 on tequila, paid for by UNC football player Travis Shaw.
When the bar closed at 2 a.m., the report says the group went to the nearby Wallace Parking Deck and dispersed into different cars.
One of those cars was driven by Rice. Using surveillance video, the ALE report states that Rice can be seen consuming at least five shots at Still Life between the hours of 12:36 and 1:41 a.m. The report reveals, for the first time, that another UNC football player, Malaki Hamrick, was also in Rice's vehicle.
Rotunda was a passenger in another vehicle, driven by UNC student Flemeeja Brewer.
WRAL has reported that sources say racing may have been a factor, and that police say speeds reached more than 120 miles per hour.
The documents show that the cars were traveling to the Blu at Farrington apartment complex where many in the group lived.
Rice and Hamrick were interviewed by investigators at Kenan Football Center about what they saw, and the documents describe what they said.
"Hamrick stated they were riding side by side on the highway. ... Hamrick stated the right lane was going to end so Rice slowed down so they could get over. Hamrick then stated he saw the vehicle just continue straight and go off the road ... Once Hamrick called 911, he stated he told Rice they needed to turn around and help.”
Rice told agents he saw Brewer's car go airborne, and that "it looked like she was trying to get the car steered right, but the car was already in the air.”
Rice told investigators he and Hamrick were able to find the women's car because of all of the smoke.
“Rice said Rotunda was in the back seat when they got to the wreck, and they pulled Rotunda out of the car ... Rice stated they left the scene after they saw the ambulance pick Rotunda up and again stated ‘it was too much.’ Rice said he had to pull Hamrick away from the scene.”
During investigators' interview with Rice, the report says Rice recounted that Rotunda had texted him asking for a ride, but he did not see the message. "I could see Rice appeared upset," the investigator wrote, "and may have even felt some form of guilt over Rotunda's death by missing this text message. I sat down next to Rice and briefly tried to console him."
Rice told investigators "he did not think anybody was too drunk and said he would have stopped people if he thought they were," according to the report.
Investigators interviewed Rice at Kenan Football Center on January 24, according to the report. Rice said he knew Brewer and Rotunda since being in college, and noted that the two "went to his stepbrother's high school."
Rice faces a charge of underage drinking and driving. In North Carolina, the penalty for that charge if convicted is a fine of up to $1,000 and up to 30 days of community punishment, if the subject has no prior convictions.
Travis Shaw, who is charged with aiding or abetting underage possession/consumption of alcohol for allegedly buying the tequila faces a $500 fine plus court costs and 25 hours of community service work, according to DPS. He is also charged with underage drinking.
Hamrick has already pleaded guilty to underage drinking and was sentenced to community service, along with going to substance abuse assessment and treatment.
When asked about the players' charges on March 18, head football coach Mack Brown said, "We had three guys that got misdemeanors that are going through the legal process right now. We'll let the legal process take its course and then what we will do is, obviously, they'll have consequences with disciplinary action within our program."
